A Chinese national has been arrested by Nigerian troops during a counter-terrorism operation in Borno State, according to the Defence Headquarters.
The suspect, whose identity has not yet been disclosed, was apprehended in Kukawa and Ngala Local Government Areas during military operations carried out between June 5 and 7, 2025. The individual claimed to be a miner but is currently undergoing interrogation.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, confirmed the arrest along with five other alleged terrorist collaborators.
“Troops arrested five terrorists’ logistics suppliers, collaborators and a Chinese national claiming to be a miner,” Kangye said. “Anybody that is caught, just like you know, with criminals, they will just deny involvement. But the question is: what brought him there at the time of arrest?”
The Defence Headquarters raised concerns over the suspect’s presence in an active military zone. “Why was he in an operational area where our troops were conducting operations?” Kangye asked.
He added that the suspect is currently being held and interrogated, and promised full disclosure once investigations are concluded. “Once the investigation is concluded, we will furnish the public with full details—why he was there, how he was arrested, and whether he had accomplices,” he stated.
This arrest comes shortly after the military detained four Pakistani nationals in Northern Nigeria over similar allegations of aiding terrorism.
